Instruments
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - Civics
NAEP Civics measures civic knowledge and skills related to the responsibilities of citizenship. It is congressionally mandated and administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Currently, NAEP Civics is administered only to Grade 8 students. In the past, the assessment was also administered to Grade 4 and Grade 12 students.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Civics
Grades: 8th Grade
Nondominant Cultural Capital Scales
The Nondominant Cultural Capital Scales operationalize Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth (CCW) framework. CCW refers to the assets that students of color bring to schooling. The four scales include aspirational capital (the ability to maintain hopes and dreams for the future), familial capital (connections to and knowledge of family and kinship networks), navigational capital (the ability to navigate through schooling institutions that were not designed with communities of color in mind), and resistant capital (the knowledge of and motivation to transform oppressive structures).
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Panorama Social-Emotional Learning Student Surveys
The Panorama Social-Emotional Learning Student Surveys are comprehensive surveys designed to measure social-emotional competencies of students and how they are supported in classrooms and schools.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS)
PALS is used to investigate the relationship between a student's learning environment and their affect, motivation, and behavior. It consists of both a student scale and a teacher scale. The student scale investigates personal achievement goal orientations, perceptions of teacher goals, perceptions of the goal structures in the classroom, achievement related beliefs, and perceptions of parents and home life. The teacher scale investigates perceptions of goal structures in the school, goal-related approaches to instruction, and personal teaching efficacy.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS)
The Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) is a tool that focuses on fundamental literacy skills. The assessment offers instruments for PreK-3, with a Spanish version available as well. PALS is the state-provided screening assessment for Virginia's Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI). PALS Plus can be used for grades 4-8.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
Predictive Assessment of Reading (PAR)
The Predictive Assessment of Reading (PAR) can be used to measure a student's reading level, identify skills in need of intervention, monitor progress, and predict future reading achievement. The assessment contains four reading subtests that can be administered to special needs, gifted, ELL students, and developing students in grades PreK-3.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade
Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales - 2nd Edition (PKBS-2)
The Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales-Second Edition (PKBS-2) is a behavior rating scale designed for use with children ages 3 through 6 years. This unique behavior rating scale is easy to use, very practical, and based on a solid foundation of research. With 76 items on two separate scales, it provides an integrated and functional appraisal of the social skills and problem behaviors of young children. The scales can be completed by a variety of behavioral informants, such as parents, teachers, and other caregivers.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade
Preservice Teacher Feedback Survey
The Preservice Teacher Feedback Survey measures beliefs about classroom feedback practices and confidence in giving feedback to students. The measure is designed for use by preservice teachers to assess the extent to which their beliefs and confidence in giving feedback align with research on quality feedback. The measure has been used as a pre- and post-test to assess the effects of initial teacher education courses on assessment.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
PSAT 8/9
The PSAT 8/9 is a standardized test from the CollegeBoard for 8th and 9th graders. The math section emphasizes problem solving, modeling, using tools strategically, and using algebraic structure. A total of 38 questions, the math section is divided into a calculator and no-calculator sections.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: 8th Grade, 9th Grade
Recognizing Effective Special Education Teachers (RESET)
RESET is a special education teacher observation system that includes observation protocols aligned with evidence-based instructional practices for students with high-incidence disabilities.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP)
The Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) is an observational instrument that can be used to assess the degree to which mathematics or science instruction in grades K-12 is “reformed”. Trained observers rate teachers' instruction across three domains: Lesson Design and Implementation; Content; Classroom Culture. Possible scores range from 0 to 100 points, with higher scores reflecting a greater degree of use of reform-based instructional practices.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES)
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is a 10-item scale measuring self-esteem within respondents. Half of the scale items are worded positively, while the other half are worded negatively. Each scale item is answered using a 4-point Likert scale, 1 being strongly agree and 4 being strongly disagree.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade
Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy (SEE)
Self-report instrument that measures empathy toward people of racial and ethnic backgrounds different from one’s own. SEE is composed of three instrumental aspects: intellectual empathy, empathic emotions, and the communication of these perspectives to others via word or action. These resolve into three constructs: Empathic expression; empathic perspective-taking; acceptance of cultural differences.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
School Social Behavior Scales, 2nd Edition (SSBS-2)
The School Social Behavior Scales (SSBS) are sold by Brookes Publishing and measure social competence and antisocial behavior (with 32 items measuring each). They are filled out by teachers and evaluated by psychologists, and are meant to be accompanied by the Home & Community Social Behavior Scales (HCSBS)--to be completed by a parent or other adult the student knows well--for a complete assessment.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Science Discourse Instrument
The Science Discourse Instrument (SDI) is an observation tool and rubric used to evaluate the quality of discussions in science classrooms. There are six categories for observation in the SDI, which are considered essential to strong discourse in science classrooms, three of the categories focus on teachers and three focus on students. The categories for teachers are: asking open ended questions; pressing for explanation; and linking discussions. The categories for students are: explanation of ideas; co-constructing ideas with peers; and critiquing the reasoning of others.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI)
The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) can be used to measure science teachers’ self-efficacy and outcome expectancy across all levels of teaching. The STEBI-A is the version recommended for use with in-service teachers; the STEBI-B is the version recommended for use with pre-service teachers.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Self Determination Inventory (SDI)
The SDI is a set of measures to assess a student's self determination. It includes questions about choice making, goal setting, and decision making. The Inventory includes a self-report measure for people aged 13-22 with or without disabilities, as well as a parent or teacher report for an outside perspective. These two assessments can be combined for a full view of a student's self-determination. The assessment uses a continuous scale between "Agree" and "Disagree" on their online platform. For a non-visual option, those using a screen reader can use higher numbers to show higher agreement. There are 17 questions in the measure.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
SELweb
SELweb is an online, performance-based social-emotional learning (SEL) assessment system designed to measure social thinking skills and peer relationships.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade
Situational Test of Emotion Management
The Situational Test of Emotion Management is an open-source, performance-based multiple choice test that measures how well one is able to manage their emotions. It was developed in combination with the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding. Both long and short forms are available, as well as an 11-item form appropriate for youth ages 11-15 and their parents called the STEM-Y.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation‐30 (SCBE-30)
The Social Competence and Behavioral Evaluation - 30 (SCBE-30) is a short version of an 80 item Likert measure for parents and teachers to assess social-emotional competence, internalizing behaviors, and externalizing behaviors in preschool children. It was formerly sold by WPS Publishing but no longer is. It has been translated into many languages and is used in cross-national comparisons.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Mental Health, Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade
Social Problem Solving Inventory Revised (SPSI-R)
The Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R) is published and sold by MHS Assesments (it is also distributed by Pearson). It contains 5 scales to measure different dimensions of social problem solving: Positive Problem Orientation, Negative Problem Orientation, Rational Problem Solving, Impulsivity/Carelessness Style, and Avoidance Style. It is an individual assessment with Likert-style responses appropriate for ages 13-18.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2)
The Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) measures the presence and severity of social impairment within the autism spectrum. Parents, teachers, or other observers evaluate social ability in various natural settings for children between 2.5 and 18 years using age-appropriate forms with 65 Likert-scale items. Four forms are available: pre-school (2.5-4.5 years), school-age (4-18 years), adult (19+), and adult self-report. SRS-2 has 5 subscales: social awareness, social cognition, social communication, social motivation, restricted interests, and repetitive behavior. The total continuous score indicates the severity of social deficits in the autism spectrum.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Neurodiversity
Grades: < 3 Years, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (SSWQ)
The Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (SSWQ) is a 16-item self-report behavior rating scale for measuring youths' school-specific wellbeing. The SSWQ is comprised of four subscales: (1) Joy of Learning, (2) School Connectedness, (3) Educational Purpose, and (4) Academic Efficacy. Subscale scores can be used as standalone wellbeing indicators or summed to create a Overall Student Wellbeing composite scale. The SSWQ was developed with a sample of 6-8th graders, and a college version is also available.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, Post secondary
Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey (TMAS)
The 20-Item Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey (TMAS) is a unidimensional self-report inventory of teachers' multicultural awareness and sensitivity. The survey analyzes teachers' multicultural awareness, appreciation, and tolerance.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade
Teacher Observation of Child Adaptation- Revised (TOCA-R)
Teachers were asked to complete one for each student in their class as a way to identify high-risk children. Teachers were asked to describe, among other things, whether the child completed assignments, was friendly, broke rules, was disobedient, fought, or yelled at others. Teachers used a Likert scale of 0 to 5, with responses including almost never (0), rarely (1), sometimes (2), often (3), very often (4), and almost always (5). The original measure was 16 items, later revised by discarding two and adding 21 more. The items are aggregated into four subscales (Overt Aggression Subscale, Oppositional Subscale, Covert Antisocial Subscale, Authority Acceptance Subscale). For those looking for a scale with less cost and time to administer than the structured interview session, the TOCA-C was been developed in 2009. The TOCA-Checklist is a written, checklist-based version of the TOCA-R.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade
TerraNova3 - Reading
TerraNova 3 reading assessments are designed to measure important higher order thinking skills as well as basic and applied skills. These assessments include norm-referenced achievement scores, criterion-referenced objective mastery scores, and performance-level information.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Test of Mathematical Abilities – Third Edition (TOMA-3)
The TOMA-3 is an assessment designed to identify, describe, and quantify mathematical deficits in school-age children. In addition to the math assessment, there are also measures of attitudes toward math available.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Test of Silent Reading Efficiency and Comprehension (TOSREC)
The TOSREC is a test of silent reading efficiency and comprehension designed for screening and progress monitoring.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI)
TPRI was created to assesses student progress in critical reading domains, including phonemic awareness, graphophonemic knowledge, word reading, comprehension, accuracy, and fluency.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade
The Bridge-Positive Youth Development (Bridge-PYD)
The Bridge-Positive Youth Development measure is an open-source, 40-item Likert survey initially validated using responses from 7-18-year-old children in a community-based after school program in Denver, CO. It uses a resilience-based framework incorporating the 5 Cs: Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring/Compassion.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade
The Flourishing Children Project (FCP)
The Flourishing Children Project, funded by the John Templeton Foundation, has constructed 20 scales based on a nationally representative sample to measure different dimensions of personal flourishing. The scales are open access, and many offer versions for both adolescents (ages 12-18) and parents. The scales fall into 5 categories: Personal Flourishing, Flourishing in School and Work, Flourishing in Relationships, Relationship Skills, and Environmental Stewardship.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
The Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales (SEARS)
The Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales (SEARS) were developed at the University of Oregon and are sold by Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR). They measure responsibility, self regulation, social competence, and empathy, and contain both long and short forms for K-12 students, parents, and teachers. The forms are often used for progress monitoring and program evaluations. PAR sells the forms in English and Spanish, and they have also been translated into Chinese and Portuguese.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Assessment Suite (TEIQue)
The TEIQue is a scientific measurement instrument based exclusively on trait EI theory and providing a comprehensive assessment of the emotional world of the individual. The TEIQue is predicated on trait EI theory, which conceptualises emotional intelligence as a personality trait, located at the lower levels of personality hierarchies. Several version of the TEIQue are available.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3)
UCLA Loneliness Scale-3 is an instrument measuring self-reported subjective feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Its 20 items use a Likert-type rating scale ranging from 1 (never) to 4 (always).
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Mental Health
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Assessment Scale (VADRS)
The Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (VADRS) measures how severe the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are and helps diagnose other common conditions comorbid with ADHD in children aged 6-12. There are two versions of VADRS: the parent form and the teacher form. Both versions include all 18 criteria for ADHD from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Neurodiversity
Grades: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade
VIA Youth Survey
The Values in Action Youth Survey (VIA Youth Survey) is an open-access Likert survey for children ages 10-17 measuring 24 character strengths within the broad categories Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, Transcendence, and Wisdom. It has both a 96- and 198- item version, and it has been adapted into many other languages and shorter forms. Values in Action also makes adult character strength surveys and other assessments for younger children such as the Character Strengths Inventory for Children (CSI-C) and the Character Strengths Inventory for Early Childhood (CSI-EC) for children ages 7-12 and 3-6, respectively.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Third Edition (Vineland-3)
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Third Edition (Vineland-3) is an instrument for diagnosing intellectual and developmental disabilities and planning treatment. Vineland-3 focuses on the following domains of adaptive behavior: 1) communication, 2) daily living skills, and 3) socialization. Vineland-3 offers the Survey Interview Form for conducting semi-structured interviews with parents or caregivers, the Parent/Caregiver Rating Forms questionnaire (can be used for all ages), and the Teacher Rating Form (can be used for ages 3-21).
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Neurodiversity
Grades: < 3 Years, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Woodcock-Johnson IV - ELA
The Woodcock-Johnson IV contains three co-normed batteries that measure strengths and weaknesses and diagnose learning abilities. The WJ IV is an individually-administered comprehensive assessment suite that can identify patterns of strength and weaknesses in cognitive, language, and academic abilities. In addition to oral language, reading, and writing, the WJ IV also assesses mathematics.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: English Language Arts
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Woodcock-Johnson IV - Math
Woodcock-Johnson IV, sold by Riverside Insights, includes individually-adminstered tests of achievement designed to measure strengths and weaknesses and diagnose learning abilities. In addition to mathematics, the WJ IV assesses oral language, reading, and writing.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Math
Grades: < 3 Years, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Youth Purpose Scale/Claremont Purpose Scale
This scale measures three dimensions of purpose: goal directedness, personal meaning, and beyond-the-self orientation. Purpose is operationalized by the developers of the scale as a long-term, forward looking intention to accomplish meaningful aims. Each of the 12 items has a Likert style response, but the scale items are unique to each question causing a slower response time which can lead to a more accurate measure.
Category: Student Well-Being
Sub-Category: Social-Emotional Competence
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI)
The Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI) is a self-report instrument that measures the level of burden that principal caregivers experience. Originally developed for caregivers of persons with dementia, ZBI is now used with various types of caregivers, including parents of children with health, behavioral, and developmental problems. The current full version, ZBI-22, has 22 items, each using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Shorter versions exist; see Yu et al. (2019) in the psychometric references below.
Category: Home and Community
Sub-Category: Parenting
Grades: < 3 Years, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary